Craig Priest writes

Fixture: Lincoln City Vs Mansfield Town
Competition: Blue Square Bet Premier – Game #37
Venue: The 12th Imp Sincil Bank Stadium
Date & Time: Tuesday 26th February 2013 – 7.45pm
Match Referee: Darren Handley (Bolton)
Attendance: 2734 (1107)

As a child I was brought up never to steal, having been stolen from in the past I know the pain such an act can cause – The only thing I have stolen is the heart of another, but hey that’s the labour of love. I have witnessed several crimes though, last night at Sincil Bank was no different as Matt Green’s 91st minute goal stole all three points as Stags continued their play-off hunt and maybe, the ever elusive title.

I guess that football is about moments at this time of the season as, in truth, Stags defending was a dire as Lincoln’s finishing and the imps should have been at least three up before the break. Numerous times the visitors were pulled apart by the so called struggling side and for me at least, had nobody leading them or pulling the strings – the midfield was absent and over run. Ok, we’ve had a goal disallowed, a penalty claim turned away and a few efforts saved, but in my opinion whilst the three points are sweet – Paul Cox has to shake some lives into the players who looked dead on their feet in large parts.

The Stags boss said after the game that its 15 cups finals from here until the end, if the Stags even show remote signs of performing like that again then it’ll be 15 prison sentences – victory in those circumstances seems somewhat criminal! Do I care that we robbed all the points no, do I care that we played that way – a little, but only because I know we are SO MUCH BETTER! But hey, that’s football.

Alas, for poor Lincoln and all their efforts, we show exactly why we’re at the top end of the table as in the 91st minute, from a Meikle assist, Matt Green strokes home the winner and 1,107 Stags supporters switch from anger and disillusion at their sides woefulness to ecstasy! You just couldn’t write it to be fair.

The victory makes it nine points from a possible nine over the past three games, all of which on the road – The Stags travels have certainly served them well as they move up into the play-offs, five points behind leaders Wrexham, a game in hand on them and of course, them to play home and away – the chase is on!

On a side note, I’d like to again apologise for last night’s connection issues, I am currently working a solution ahead of Saturday – after-all we don’t want to miss what’s going to be one hell of a final 15 games!  

Paul Cox stuck with an unchanged line up with Clements again deputising for Howell in the middle – defender Lee Beevers kept his place despite the dislocated shoulder he suffered on Saturday.

LINE UP [4-2-3-1]: Alan Marriott, Lee Beevers, Luke Jones, John Dempster, James Jennings, Adam Murray (C), Chris Clements, Louis Briscoe, Lee Stevenson, Junior Daniel, Matt Green.
SUBSTITUTES: Ritchie Sutton, Lindon Meikle, Nick Wright, Matt Rhead, Ben Hutchinson.

Looming towards the drop-zone and without a manager, Lincoln would have been forgiven if they didn’t care to fight last night, however with the FA Cup beating still fresh in their memories – fight is exactly what they did as they made a bright start to the encounter. Imps left back Nicky Nicolau charging past Briscoe and Beevers respectively with four minutes one the clock before squaring to Fofana who drove wide of Marriott’s right hand post.

Two minutes later a good interchange between the aforementioned Stags pair on the right hand side saw Briscoe come close to punishing the hosts; however the ball just wouldn’t drop as Andrew Boyce slammed clear.

On ten minutes Stags were clinging on again as the Imps romped forwards, James Jennings blocked the attempted effort young Walsall loanee Jake Jones before Marriott punched away the follow up cross from Lincoln captain Alan Power. Three minutes later a foul by Beevers on the advancing Vadaine Oliver saw Power curl a free kick out of play from the edge of the Stags area.

Stags then enjoyed a spell of pressure on the Imps goal as Junior Daniel and Matt Green combined in a fluent counter attacking move which saw Lee Stevenson have an effort blocked on 17 minutes. Four minutes later Daniel earned the visitors their first corner of the night as his looping shot was deflected over the bar by Tom Miller – the Imps defender again blocked from the corner giving Stags their second in succession, from which a powerful, and seemingly unstoppable, header from Luke Jones was expertly saved by Paul Farman in the Lincoln goal.

Moments later Mansfield demonstrated a broken-siv like piece of defending as Power drove forwards and squared a ball into the middle where four Imps players lined up against just the one defender in Luke Jones. The loose ball fell for Jake Jones who unbelievably missed the gaping target with Marriott alarmingly static!

The Stags shot stopper was more lively on the half hour mark as a long ball from former Stags defender Scott Garner at the heart of the Imps defence found its way to setting Oliver on his way through. Marriott did enough to close the Lincoln man down but couldn’t prevent the shot, which, with an open goal, again missed the target. Seconds later Alan Power clipped a left footed volley over the bar following sustained pressure across the edge of the Stags box.

Mansfield then had a clear goal ruled out on 31 minutes as a clipped pass from Lee Beevers sent Junior Daniel clean through. Beating the Boyce-Garner sandwich the former Macclesfield man fired home but saw his effort chalked off for handball much to his annoyance. A minute later a dangerous Jennings corner led to another Stags chance, Adam Murray’s soft header well held by Farman following a right sided cross.

The half ended in frustration as John Dempster picked up a booking, Lee Beevers then required treatment for a nasty bang to his leg before Lincolns Fofana also needed treatment following a strong challenge on the half way line – both were able to continue.

HALF TIME: Lincoln 0-0 Stags

The second half was a similar tale to the first, however it began with Stags frustration as they were awarded a free kick rather than a spot kick on 52 minutes when Stevenson was felled by Garner. The resulting free kick was poor from Daniel and allowed the Imps to come forward at a canter – the Stags somehow serving what should have been a goal when Alan Power opted to square the ball rather than shoot, the unselfish act let Stags off the hook.

A minute later Louis Briscoe dragged an effort wide of the mark before the Imps again teased Stags, Jake Sheridan this time the one to power forwards and catch the sleepy visitors unaware – his pull back from the bye line fortunately went un-attacked by the Imps.            

Matt Rhead then replaced Stevenson as Stags moved to a flat 4-4-2 with just over an hour played, the dangerous Dan Gray also came on for the Imps however the changes affected little as for the next 15 minutes the match became a refereeing farce as Darren Handley awarded both sides soft set plays.

Jake Sheridan then came close for Lincoln on 77 minutes but failed to keep his shot from sailing over Marriott’s bar before Paul Farman again kept Stags at bay as John Dempster thundered a point blank range effort towards goal following a Jennings free kick from the right hand side.

Substitute Lindon Meikle then embarked on a terrific solo run with six minutes remaining but saw himself booked for arguing as the referee awarded the hosts a free kick despite Meikle’s heals being clipped.

Lincoln again tested Stags with numerous runs but as the board went up for five additional minutes, their hard work was undone as Stags snatched a dramatic late winner for the second match running. Chris Clements held up on the left before the arriving Jennings swung in the killer cross – headed back across the box by Meikle, Matt Green did what he does best and poached, slotting underneath the despairing Farman to send the travelling support into delirium.

The Stags front man was then booked for no apparent reason before Lincoln substitute Dan Gray was shown a straight red card for violent conduct as he slashed down Matt Rhead on the half way line.

There was further controversy as seven minutes into the five added, Paul Cox and the fourth official Matt Walsh got into a slanging match as the Stags manager opted not to make a change as seconds before the goal, the Stags management team had handed the fourth official instruction that Hutchinson was to replace Green. With Green netting the winner, Cox felt it pointless to make an attacking change and cancelled the changes – the fourth official had other ideas and basically enforced the change.

Seconds later Lincoln swapped Colin Larkin for Paul Turnbull, no sooner had the former Stags hero jogged on, he was jogging off as, after eight additional minutes – the full time whistle blew sealing the points for the Stags and most possibly, the crime of the century.

FULL TIME: Lincoln 0-1 Stags   

The views expressed in this blog are those of the writer and not those of Mansfield Matters or its related organisations, to submit a blog, email mtfcmatters@gmail.com

Hi Everyone, firstly I'd like to say a massive sorry to all those logging onto the website last night looking for commentary on the Lincoln match.

Craig Priest & Emily Sykes write...

Saturday’s win at Luton adds to our good run of form in recent matches, tomorrow night at Sincil Bank Stags will be expected to do the same again and add more woe to the Imps season. Tie’s against Lincoln are always feisty and will again require a fight from the Stags players – let’s hope the good form continues and doesn’t come to an ironic end at the place where it began.

Back in December rolls were pretty much reversed as Stags headed into the FA Cup second round tie on a poor run of form having been beaten by Matlock in the FA Trophy during the week as Stags put in a pathetic display. Lincoln on the other hand were in good form with four wins in their previous six league matches, nobody expected Mansfield to progress however the game which played out in front of us turned out to be a classic.

Matt Rhead’s dramatic late header saw the teams require a replay following an end to end game in which Stags had led and then subsequently thrown away. Since then lady luck seems to have switched sides as Lincoln lost their form and Stags suddenly found theirs. Since the also epic replay between the sides on December 11th the Imps have fallen from grace with just one win, four draws and six defeats from the following 11 games – Stags on the other hand have eight wins and four defeats from the 12 fixtures which have followed the infamous replay.

To put it another way the Imps have fallen from a play-off chasing 10th to a relegation threatening 19th, whilst Stags have climbed from an un-threatening 8th to a eyes on the title 6th – Lincoln’s poor form also led to dwindling attendances and the sacking of David Holdsworth, which means tomorrow night Stags for the second game running face a side in caretaker charge.

Imps caretaker Grant Brown is no stranger to the situation he’s currently in, having had two previous spells as caretaker boss, therefore will know how to handle the situation and will have the players prepared accordingly.

That said we recently watched the highlights of Lincoln’s game with Barrow at the weekend, the players looked uninterested and undetermined to fight, in truth had Barrow had a half decent striker on the pitch Lincoln may well have been on the end of a heavy defeat.

Naturally this doesn’t mean Stags will hammer Lincoln, we’re sure a few of the Imps squad will have watched our game with Liverpool itching for revenge, we must ensure they don’t get it tomorrow night and adapt to any changes Paul Cox may have to make as the win at Luton certainly took a lot of energy and saw a few individuals pick up a few knocks – the squad strength is key now.

As eluded to heavily above the last time these two sided locked horns was in the FA Cup second round in early December. The original game at Sincil Bank ended three a piece as Matt Rhead thundered home a late header to set up a replay.

Ten days later at the One Call Stadium the sides fought it out in front of the TV camera’s for the right to play Liverpool at home in the third round. Lincoln keeper Paul Farman technically opened the scoring as he converted John Dempster’s forceful header into his own net before former Stag Adam Smith levelled prior to the break. Good football in the second half saw Louis Briscoe curl home the eventual winner, much to the Stags delight.

The sides have also met in the league this term back at the One Call Stadium playing out a goalless draw. In total the sides have met 71 times, with Stag recording 27 wins to 25 the other 19 games ending level. At Sincil Bank Lincoln edge the win count with 11 to 10 whilst in terms of goals there have been 216, Stags scoring 110 to 106 in total however they trail 36 to 42 at Sincil Bank.

Former Lincoln full back Lee Beevers may have suffered a dislocated shoulder at Luton on Saturday however like against the Hatters it doesn’t look like it will phase him ahead of his return to his former employers tomorrow, having been declared fit. Paul Cox will also wait on news regarding Anthony Howell after a knee injury kept him out of Saturday’s match.

If you can’t make the trip to The 12th Imp Sincil Bank Stadium tomorrow night then be sure to join Craig for full match commentary via our MM-LIVE page and Takeover Radio 106.9FM from 7pm.

The views expressed in this blog are those of the writers and not those of Mansfield Matters or its related organisations – To submit a blog, email mtfcmatters@gmail.com

Craig Priest and Emily Sykes write...

Fixture: Luton Town Vs Mansfield Town
Competition: Blue Square Bet Premier – Game #36
Venue: Kenilworth Road
Date & Time: Saturday 23rd February 2013 – 3.00pm
Match Referee: Kevin Johnson (Somerset)
Attendance: 5,968 (410)

The number seven shirt must hold some sort of magical power for a Stags player at Luton, especially when it comes to last minute winners. Ok so Louis Briscoe’s goal in 2011 may well have been an equaliser but it still won the tie for Stags on aggregate – yesterday the man who took the infamous number seven shirt at the start of the season from Briscoe, Lindon Meikle, came from the bench to grab the Stags winner in what was a tense game and a brave performance from Paul Cox’s players.

Not only did Stags soak up everything Luton threw at them individual’s also put their bodies on the line for the cause – Lee Beevers for instance put in a man of the match display despite dislocating his shoulder mid way through the first half. The former Walsall and Lincoln man was in clear pain and needed oxygen from the paramedics as physio Simon Murphy popped the shoulder back in to its socket. The decision to continue was certainly a brave one but once more it highlights the character within our dressing room to succeed – we take our metaphorical hats off to the Stags right back who didn’t let the injury phase him as he continued to keep the Luton wingers quiet.

Luton are always a team that will always cause you problems, even without a Manager –the every hostile atmosphere always adds to the spice of the game and once more yesterday the travelling fans made sure they made themselves heard. It wasn’t just Beevers injury that Stags had to contend with as roughly 15 minutes before kick-off Paul Cox was dealt a blow as Anthony Howell’s training ground injury picked up on Thursday couldn’t be shaken off. Naturally that meant the constant team selection which had held Stags in fluent and confident form had to be altered.

Victory yesterday saw a Mansfield side collect their first win at Kenilworth Road since 2002, in collecting all the three points, Stags stretched their impressive run to seven wins from the last eight and again tighten the point’s gap on both the play-offs and the much sort after title. With Grimsby and Wrexham both reaching the FA Trophy final they have an added distraction and may well be tempted to rest legs when the big day approaches, hopefully this may work in Stags favour should league results stumble for the aforementioned sides as they set their sights on trophy glory.

The original team sheet saw Stags again unchanged however the pre-match injury to Howell saw a late re-think as Chris Clements came into the midfield to partner Adam Murray – striker Ben Hutchinson filled the vacant space on the bench.

LINE-UP [4-2-3-1]: Alan Marriott, Lee Beevers, Luke Jones, John Dempster, James Jennings, Adam Murray (C), Chris Clements, Louis Briscoe, Lee Stevenson, Junior Daniel, Matt Green

SUBS: Ritchie Sutton, Lindon Meikle, Nick Wright, Matt Rhead, Ben Hutchinson

A teasing Louis Briscoe cross had Luton scrambling early on as the Stags won an early corner however James Jennings’ delivery failed to really test the Luton defence. On eight minutes Luton thought they had the lead as debutant Wayne Thomas headed Ronnie Henry’s deep free kick past Alan Marriott, Mansfield’s saving grace arrived as the referee blew for a foul by Thomas on Luke Jones.

Seconds later at the other end Matt Green and Lee Stevenson interchanged down the right hand side, a well timed tackle from Wayne Thomas earn Stags another corner which Luke Jones headed into the hands of Tyler.

Usually games between these two sides are full of chances however this encounter failed to match up with recent meetings, Luton dragged a team effort wide on 19 minutes through Jonathan Smith, Louis Briscoe dragged an effort wide at the other end two minutes later following good work between Stevenson and Clements.

Moments later Stags saw a penalty claim turned down when Matt Green was bundled over by Steve McNulty however on the half hour mark they were awarded a spot kick as Wayne Thomas tripped Junior Daniel – Matt Green drove the penalty underneath Tyler to open the scoring.

More than two minutes later play was stopped as Lee Beevers pulled up injured on the half-way line, the referee initially allowed play to go on before the ball went out of play for a Luton throw. Beevers received lengthy treatment on the pitch to what was clearly a dislocated shoulder and eventually had it put back in position by physio Simon Murphy who was surrounded by paramedics. With Beevers off the pitch play continued and Luton equalised as Stags failed to clear their lines, Luton front man Scott Rendell driving home on 37 minutes.

Buoyed by their goal and attempting to pressure the fragile Lee Beevers, Luton registered an effort on 39 minutes as David Martin curled an effort side into the hands of a grateful Marriott.

On the stroke of half time Stags restored their lead as Junior Daniel drove home a left footed effort following determined work between Stevenson and Green down the right hand side in what proved to be a real pacey attack.

HALF TIME: Luton 1-2 Stags

Stags would have loved to have started the second half with a goal to kill off Luton, however they wasted an opportunity with an early corner and soon dragged level on 46 minutes. It came with a lapse in concentration as John Dempster underestimated the pace of Andre Gray – the former Kettering skipper saw the ball taken off his toes as he attempted by clear by Gray who made no mistake inside the area to thunder beyond Marriott.

Again chances on goal were few and far between as both teams enjoyed prolonged spells on the ball but did little with it, on 58 minutes Wayne Thomas nodded over an Alex Lawless corner before a spirited solo charge down the left hand side from Dempster nearly grabbed a Stags goal with 65 played.

Luton continued to pressure and had two shots in three minutes as substitute Jake Howells curled a free kick over Marriott’s bar on 68 minutes before volleying well wide from 40 yards two minutes later.

Dempster then atoned for his earlier error with eight minutes remaining as he cleared a stray hatters shot off the line, seconds later Alan Marriott was well positioned to save from substitute Stuart Fleetwood as he look to convert Ronnie Henry’s driven cross into the back of the net.

With four minutes remaining Lindon Meikle replaced Louis Briscoe and after yet another prolonged series of Luton pressure sparked a Stags counter attack. Charging forward at a canter with fellow substitute Ben Hutchinson, Matt Green and Chris Clements in support, he released the ball on the edge of the box to Clements. The restored Stags midfielder saw his shot saved expertly by Tyler, however the Luton custodian failed to prevent the loose ball landing at the feet of Meikle who made no mistake firing home the winner in front of the 410 travelling Stags fans.

With four minutes added on Stags threw on Nick Wright for Matt Green as Luton attempted to grab another leveller, however time was against them and Stags defended well and fully deserved the points as the referee blew the full time whistle.

FULL TIME: Luton 2-3 Stags

The views expressed in this blog are those of the writer and not those of Mansfield Matters or its related organisations, to submit a blog, email mtfcmatters@gmail.com

Craig Priest & Emily Sykes write...

When you’re on a good run of form you can’t wait for football day to come round, tomorrow is no different as Stags head for Luton, in what will prove to be another pivotal match – with a few teams above not in league action and with Luton’s Managerial turmoil you sense that opportunity knocks for Paul Cox’s side.

Despite their FA Cup heroics Luton haven’t quite matched up their league form and for the first time we can remember in a long while are placed below us in the table. It’s a strange one as many of the Hatter’s fans are already starting to write their season off, with some labelling tomorrow’s game do or die.

We can’t quite decide if this is an advantage to Stags or not, in recent years everybody has expected Stags to gain little from a trip to Luton, however this term the boots on the other foot as Stags, the best away side in the division, are expected to take all three points against a side with just three wins in 13 league outings.

Paul Buckle’s mutual departure prior to Tuesday’s trip to Macclesfield clearly rocked the players as they failed to see off a team with ten men and an outfielder in goal – just down the road in Hyde Paul Cox’s Stags were battering Hyde, it’s these two factors which highlight Mansfield as favourite tomorrow.

Providing Stags can play the way they did on Tuesday we are confident that three points can be coming home with Mansfield, however Luton caretaker boss Adam Neilson is no stranger to looking after things with two previous caretaker spells to his name in recent seasons. He will know exactly how Mansfield play and will have his players fired up accordingly – sometimes it’s difficult to play a side with no manager as each player wants to keep their shirt and impress whoever takes over. Stags must ensure they focus on putting three points on the board and not let complacency or arrogance creep in.

What Mansfield must not do either is let their attention wonder, there has been recent talk about a title charge which in fairness is sensible talk, however if they are to mount a title charge they’ll need to keep their focus. Tomorrow is a real chance to gain ground as leaders Wrexham and second place Grimsby are both in FA Trophy Semi-Final action, both realistically should progress against Gainsborough and Dartford respectively – the buzz of reaching Wembley can often have an adverse effect to your league form as we well know. Three points for us at Luton plus a Wembley distraction for the current top two can only stand Stags in good stead for the remainder of the season.

The Hatters despite their eggshell like situation will still pose a tough test so fingers crossed Stags can rise to the challenge and bring home the points.

The two sides last locked horns in mid November as Luton looked to end their hoodoo of never winning at The One Call Stadium in the league. Ben Hutchinson fired Mansfield ahead early on before Andre Gray levelled on 25 minutes, the Hatters then turned the game on its head on 66 minutes as Gray struck again. On the verge of defeat Stags got a late lifeline as Matt Green came from the bench to nod home the equaliser late on.

Down the years the sides have met 27 times which includes the memorable FA Trophy Semi-Final two seasons ago. As mentioned above Luton have never beaten Mansfield in a league encounter on Mansfield soil, however at the strange Kenilworth Road they have more success with five wins to two. Louis Briscoe’s dramatic late penalty in the FA Trophy sealed a 1-1 draw after extra time, this the fifth draw between the two at Kenilworth Road.

Stags last won at Luton in 2002 as they brought home a 3-2 victory, in terms of goals there have been 91 with the Hatters narrowly on top with 46-45 in total whilst at Kenilworth road Luton lead 25-17.

Paul Cox will probably surprise everyone if he makes a change tomorrow, once more only Ross Dyer and Jake Speight are those out.

Luton caretaker boss Alan Neilson will be boosted by the news that defender Wayne Thomas is now internationally cleared to play – Luton also boast a clean bill of health.

If you can’t make the trip to Kenilworth Road tomorrow then be sure to join Craig on Takeover 106.9FM and via our MM-LIVE page from 2pm.

Get involved with the show to as with Alan Marriott approaching his 150th league game for Stags we want to know your favourite Marriott moments so far. Tweet us @mtfcmatters or text 07804 15 66 37.

The views expressed in this blog are those of the writers and not those of Mansfield Matters or its related organisations – to submit a blog email mtfcmatters@gmail.com

Craig Priest writes...

Fixture: Hyde Vs Mansfield Town
Competition: Blue Square Bet Premier – Game #23 [Re-Arranged]
Venue: Ewen Fields
Date & Time: Tuesday 19th February 2013 – 7.45pm
Match Referee: Anthony Blackhouse
Attendance: 675 (Est 300)

Another three points are on the board for Stags curtsey of Louis Briscoe’s left boot, whilst there may be frustration of again remaining in 6th spot – Stags kept up the pace and in truth, if it hadn’t have been for the excellence of young 19 year old Hyde shot stopper Chris Dilo, Stags would have again ran out heavy winners.

Last night for me Mansfield we’re excellent from back to front, the one mistake by Marriott and subsequence clearance off the line by Jones a mere smudge on Stags’ canvas – if they perform like that for the remainder of the season, the play-off’s may well be a backup plan as I belief in my heart, a title race is on.

I’m not getting carried away and I won’t look any further than the next game, I’ve always stressed that taking baby steps is the way to go. However as last night’s results proved, anyone can beat anyone as leaders Grimsby were easily beaten by mid-table Braintree. Wrexham now top the table and looking over their shoulder almost expecting us to catch them, they are eight points ahead of Stags who have two games in hand on them and have them too play both home and away – add to that the fact Stags still also have Grimsby and fourth placed Forest Green to play and the boiling pot is bubbling nicely – if it’s any teams for the taking, I think it’s us!

Anyway, back to last night, Louis Briscoe was tremendous and completely mauled Hyde captain Adam Griffin all evening down the right hand side whilst Green, Stevenson and Daniel all proved too hot to handle for the host defence. No offence to Scott McNiven’s side or the Hyde Fans, but the nickname Tigers didn’t suit them last night – they had all the bite of someone with false teeth eating toffee and all the roar of a child toy losing its battery!

The truth is Hyde whimpered throughout and as mentioned above, were extremely fortunate not to take an absolute hiding! I felt sorry for Chris Dilo at full time who headed back to the dressing room with a bowed head looking really down, if he performs like that week in week out then he’ll soon be back up in a higher division, parent club Blackburn Rovers have a good shot stopper on their hands.

One goal proved the difference in the end and that’s all you need, the way we played and battled, especially in midfield continues to impress and finally force teams into playing OUR game rather than us adapting to match them – prior to Christmas we played four different systems where as now we play the way we want and get results, long may that continue as we come up against teams whose shackles continue to fall off, Luton and Lincoln are both without managers and are beginning to fall from their respective grace, the Hatters unable to match their FA Cup form with just three wins from 14 league outings whilst nearby Imps, with just one win since we beat them in the FA Cup in November, are edging ever closer to the drop-zone!     

Paul Cox stuck with his guns again last night naming the same side for the third and a half game running, the half time switch of Briscoe for Meikle against Dartford weeks ago hasn’t been looked back on since.

LINE UP [4-2-3-1]: Alan Marriott, Lee Beevers, Luke Jones, John Dempster, James Jennings, Adam Murray (C), Anthony Howell, Louis Briscoe, Lee Stevenson, Junior Daniel, Matt Green
SUBSTITUTES: Ritchie Sutton, Lindon Meikle, Nick Wright, Chris Clements, Matt Rhead.

Stags began brightly as they looked for an opener inside a minute, the offside flag foiled their plan as Green was judged to be offside from Lee Beevers’ directional pass from kick off, seconds later Junior Daniel tested the water as he saw an effort cannon off Tom Anderson after Green & Briscoe had combined to tee up the former Macclesfield man.

Hyde then briefly had Stags on the ropes on four minutes as the dangerous Scott Spencer earned the first of two corners, however despite testing delivery’s from Chris Sedgwick Mansfield were able to clear and begin their assault on the Hyde goal.

Louis Briscoe was first to pull the trigger on five minutes as he and Lee Beevers played a swift and sweeping give and go on the right hand side, Beevers slotting the ball through the legs of Griffin for Briscoe who dragged an effort wide of the mark, had Matt Green or Junior Daniel outstretched a leg Stags would have opened the scoring as the home defence were nowhere to be seen.

Hyde keeper Chris Dilo then made his first save of the afternoon as Daniel clipped a delightful pass into Green’s path, the leading marksman tearing through the gauntlet of Tom Anderson and Luke Ashworth to fire a low shot at goal, denied by the legs of Dilo who quickly collected the loose ball with eight minutes played.

Two minutes later Adam Murray blazed over following a delicate assist from Daniel once Briscoe had again tore shreds from Griffin, on 21 minutes James Jennings also hit a free kick over after Daniel had his heels clipped on the edge of the box by Kelvin Lomax.

Luke Jones was next to test the home defence as he flicked Jennings’ second successive corner over the bar on 24 minutes, Lee Stevenson and Matt Green then both saw driven efforts kept out by Dilo within the next ten minutes.

With three to go before the break Stags were agonisingly close to opening the scoring as a fine intervention from Beevers on the half way line saw him play a splitting pass into the path of the advancing Junior Daniel. Once inside the box with a neatly controlled touch, Daniel dragged his shot a blade of grass wide of the target as the visiting support, congregated largely behind the goal, raised the noise levels.  

A minute later Dilo again kept the scores level as Green pulled the trigger following a strong assist from Briscoe, Hyde boss McNiven then made a change with seconds remaining as he withdrew Shay McCartan for Grant Spencer.

HALF TIME: Hyde 0-0 Stags

After the break it took Stags less than 17 seconds to take the lead as Briscoe hunted down a pass to Griffin and blocked the subsequent clearance, turning the full back inside and out Briscoe then swung in a left footed cross which swirled beautifully into the back of the net.

The Stags winger then was a lick of paint away from doubling the score line four minutes later as Junior Daniel held up play before releasing James Jennings – the left backs floating cross thunderously headed against the bar by Briscoe before Kelvin Lomax put the loose ball behind for a corner with Daniel about to pounce.

Seconds later Daniel was next to have a go as Lee Stevenson stroked a pass through to feet, keeper Dilo again pulled off the save to keep Hyde in the match. Stags then had a slight scare on 57 minutes as Scott Spencer and Chris Sedgwick played a 1-2 on the edge of the Mansfield box, Luke Jones closed Spencer down and ensure he had no room to get a shot on target.

Anthony Howell then glanced a header from a deep Jennings free kick over the bar on 65 before Matt Green fired wide of the mark on 70 minutes, two minutes later hearts were in mouths as all the hard work in front of the Hyde goal nearly came unstuck at the other end. Alan Marriott fumbled Sedwick’s teasing free kick and allowed a red shirt to flick towards goal, Luke Jones well positioned to spare Stags blushes as he twice belted away with all his might.

The remaining four minutes belonged entirely to Mansfield as Hyde were beaten from pillar to post, Matt Green nodded wide at the front post from a Jennings corner before substitute Lindon Meikle’s run proved too hot to handle but ran out of play for a goal kick. Green had one final effort with three to go as he scooped a volleyed shot from another Jennings set play into the hands of Dilo, his replacement Nick Wright hit the final shot of the match, firing narrowly wide from 20 yards from Stevenson’s assist in the final second of the encounter.

FULL TIME: Hyde 0-1 Stags

The views expressed in this blog are those of the writer and not those of Mansfield Matters or its related organisations, to submit a blog, email mtfcmatters@gmail.com

Craig Priest & Emily Sykes write...

Following Saturday’s 3-1 over Cambridge United it’s nearly match time again, as Paul Cox’s men play the first of three consecutive away games over the next nine days. Former Stags defender Scott McNiven is the man at the helm of Hyde, no doubt he’ll have his injury hit side fired up to respond from their weekend beating at home to Kidderminster.

The upturn in away form has been well documented however just because Stags are statistically the best side away from home the last five games rather than the worst like earlier in the season, does not necessarily guarantee them all the points tomorrow night.

At this critical stage of the season Paul Cox’s men can’t afford to rest on their laurels and take their eye off the ball, despite Hyde’s league position and weekend result, it is still a tough place to go and will be another battle.

We have full faith in the players especially if they share the attitude of Luke Jones and Lee Stevenson, two players that kept their heads down when they were out in the cold but are now showing exactly what they can do with a string of fine performances. It’s so easy to lose your head when things aren’t quite going your way however those that are successful in the end are the ones that keep working hard when the chips are down.

Again there’s little else to say ahead of this one, it almost feels a routine job – the expectation is to win, we think we’d be very surprised if the three points don’t come home with Mansfield however we say this with an air of caution, it’s all down to who performs better on the night. Three more points would boost our promotion chances, if we don’t get them it’s just another twist in the tale – all that’s left to say, is BRING ON THE FOOTBALL!

 Tomorrow night’s trip to Ewen Fields is Mansfield’s first, the sides have only met once before – this back in August at the One Call Stadium as Matt Green scored the only goal of the game in a narrow 1-0 victory for Paul Cox’s men. 

Once again there are no fresh injury worries for Paul Cox, strikers Ross Dyer and Jake Speight the only one’s missing tomorrow night’s trip.

Hyde boss McNiven could ring the changes following Saturday’s heavy defeat however he’ll have to wait on the outcome of fitness tests of Matt Blinkhorn, David Poole and leading scorer Scott Spencer who have all been out recently.

If you can’t make it to Ewen Fields tomorrow night then be sure to catch full match commentary with Craig on 106.9FM and via our MM-LIVE page from 7pm.

Be sure to get your voices heard on tomorrow’s show by tweeting @mtfcmatters or texting 07804 15 66 37.

The views expressed in this blog are those of the writer and not those of Mansfield Matters or its related organisations – To submit a blog email mftcmatters@gmail.com  

Craig Priest and Emily Sykes write...

Fixture: Mansfield Town V Cambridge United
Competition: Blue Square Bet Premier – Game #35
Venue: The One Call Stadium
Date & Time: Saturday 16th February 2013 – 3pm
Match Referee: Seb Stockbridge
Attendance: 2,508 (208)

So Stags are back to winning ways and happiness has been restored, but does one game mean the promotion race is still on? In our opinion yes, however the game in question was Tuesday’s trip to Newport. This may seem a bit of a weird statement to make however defeat has probably refocused Paul Cox and his players on what they have to do to achieve success.

The performance during yesterday’s 3-1 victory over Cambridge certainly demonstrated that the players were more focused, for example the defence held a tighter line whilst in-front of goal the players had that eagerness to be a little bit sharper than midweek, especially after conceding the equaliser.

Three points’ sets us up nicely for three back to back away games, Hyde, Luton and Lincoln are all tough places to visit but all three are winnable matches for sure. The mixture of confidence following yesterday’s win along with the refocus from the midweek defeat will hopefully provide the basis for the remainder of the season.

Paul Cox made a brave choice in allowing his players a second chance, however for us it was the right choice and the players responded in the right manner – what a refreshing thing to say when months ago the players may have slumped rather than risen.

The Stags boss stuck with his guns and stuck with the same side as midweek.

LINE-UP[4-2-3-1]: Alan Marriott, Lee Beevers, Luke Jones, John Dempster, James Jennings, Adam Murray (C), Anthony Howell, Louis Briscoe, Lee Stevenson, Junior Daniel, Matt Green

SUBSTITUES: Ritchie Sutton, Lindon Meikle, Nick Wright, Chris Clements, Matt Rhead

Mansfield started strongly with a good counter-attacking move on two minutes which saw Lee Stevenson and Louis Briscoe combine, however the latter’s low cross after beating Kevin Roberts was stabbed away by Rory McAuley as Matt Green looked to connect. A minute later it was the visitors turn to attack, Jamie Reed selfishly driving wide from 30 yards despite having two players either side of him.

On six minutes Cambridge had keeper Jonathan Hedge to thank as he kept out a curling effort from Anthony Howell following fluent movement between Briscoe, Stevenson and Green. Two minutes later it was Alan Marriott’s turn to take the praise as he produced a splendid save to deny Liam Hughes’ thunderous header from a Ross Jarvis corner.

Former Cambridge man James Jennings was then key to the Stags opening goal on ten minutes as he launched in a number of deep crosses following an initial free kick, Matt Green and Anthony Howell both saw efforts blocked before the in-form Lee Stevenson tucked home for his sixth goal in as many games.

Seconds after the restart it could have been two however Junior Daniel failed to keep his long range effort on target, the visitors then enjoyed a break of their own as the pace of Michael Gash had Mansfield stretched, the advancing Kevin Roberts failed to connect with Gash’s driven low cross much to Mansfield’s relief.

Stags were relentless in their pursuit for a second, Louis Briscoe the closet to finding one on 25 minutes as he narrowly curled over following a James Jennings corner. Mansfield were soon to be pegged back five minutes later as poor defending allowed Gash to latched on to Tom Shaw’s splitting pass, the Cambridge front man denied by Marriott before Liam Hughes headed home from the resulting corner.

With ten minutes of the first half remaining James Jennings tested the water from distance, four minutes later he helped set Mansfield’s second goal by swinging in yet another corner. Luke Jones appeared to head home at the far post, attempt to clear the ball off the line appeared successful before Green tucked home the loose ball, however it was Jones taking the credit as the referee had already signalled Jones’ initial header to have crossed the line.

Louis Briscoe, Matt Green and Luke Jones all came close to adding a third for the Stags before the break, however neither could find the back of the net and at the break Stags went in ahead by a solitary goal.

HALF TIME: Stags 2-1 Cambridge

Stags came out the traps brightest as the second half began Matt Green’s teasing cross on 49 minutes headed away by Ross Jarvis – two minutes later Green again teased the defence as he played Junior Daniel clean through on goal, the wide man’s shot squirmed underneath Hedge before hitting the post and rolling the wrong side of the goal line allowing the visitors to clear the danger.

Louis Briscoe them embarked on a one man run on 54 minutes before Luke Jones made a splendid block at the heart of the Stags defence following a corner on the hour mark.

Five minutes later James Jennings saw a free-kick held by Hedge, the Cambridge keeper was helpless however on 71 minutes as Junior Daniel netted Mansfield’s third, Daniel’s goal capping a fluent move between Stevenson and Jennings after Howell had won the ball back in midfield.

Three minutes later Jennings could have made it four as he came close with another free-kick, Matt Green was also unfortunate not to seal the game on 75 minutes as Stevenson and Briscoe combined and tore down the right hand side.

There was little else to report on as the match entered its final ten minutes, Lindon Meikle got a late run out for Louis Briscoe but his introduction was brief as the referee soon blew his whistle for full time, sealing all three points for the Stags.

FULL TIME: Stags 3-1 Cambridge

The views expressed in this blog are those of the writer and not those of Mansfield Matters or its related organisations, to submit a blog, email mtfcmatters@gmail.com

Craig Priest writes...

As football day approaches again I write with hope, hope that Stags can get back to winning ways following defeat in Newport and hope that the recent run of wins wasn’t just a ‘Positive Blip’.

It’s almost a sense of De-Ja-Voux really as, post Christmas last term we went on a good run of results (six games unbeaten) before being beaten by Newport! The 1-0 defeat to Edinburgh’s men last term was then followed by five consecutive wins and an unbeaten run of eight games – A similar run this term would not only move Stags into the play-offs but realistically, begin a title chase.

Using last terms post Newport defeat run of eight games and looking at this seasons fixtures for the next eight games, I wouldn’t say it was impossible for Stags to spark a title chasing run. Current leaders Grimsby are eleven points in front of Paul Cox’s side who have two games in hand over them, however during Mansfield’s next eight games the sides are set to meet at the One Call Stadium so who knows, by the time I pen that preview the gap could be a lot shorter.

Naturally wanting to hunt down the league leaders relies on other teams beating current table toppers Grimsby, if it were that fact last term when Fleetwood were top it would have been verging on impossible however this season, the league is wide open and anyone of a number of sides could still take the league title and indeed be sitting top after each game.

From Stags next eight games there are a maximum of 24 points up for grabs, I personally feel that if Mansfield can keep their focus on a game by game basis, achieving the maximum is certainly a strong possibility and achievable. Some would say that the first goal would be getting in the play-off positions and ensuring we become uncatchable to those giving chase, whilst I agree to a certain existent, I’m a firm believer in aiming to be the very best and in turn have full faith in the current squad.

None of the next eight games are easy, we face a fairly even keel as we’ve got home games with Cambridge, AFC Telford, Stockport and Grimsby and away trips to Hyde, Luton, Lincoln and Woking. What gives us an advantage over other sides is our clogged fixture list, not one of the teams above or below (apart from Luton) has got as many games in hand over those above – the fact we’re playing two games a week keeps us fresh and confident, especially that trio of consecutive away games in the space of eight days.

At Newport it’s not the fact we we’re tired or off the pace, we played on a tough pitch with little idea on how to adapt whilst facing a team who were not only the best attacking side in the division, but knew every divot, mud patch and hard area of the pitch and rightly used it to their advantage. Some of the defending from Cox’s men was encouraging whilst some was questionable, the second goal a major example, however things didn’t drop – we got through the first half level and began the second brighter, if Newport’s keeper hadn’t been positioned where he was for Stevenson’s early second half goal bound header, there’s no doubt it would have been a different result altogether.

As I mentioned in the match report, it was catch 22 for Cox, did he stick with the same side that had netted 13 goals in two games or adapt to suit the pitch and risk losing the fire power? It’s too late to dwell, the focus has to turn to Cambridge United.

I guess it’s another catch 22 tomorrow really too over James Jennings – his move from Cambridge in January was permanent so, like Geohaghon against Kidderminster, he can play against his former employers, however should he?

For me probably not, nothing against Jennings’ his set plays have impressed me and his defending hasn’t worried me too much, however that said Cambridge’s’ players and manager will know Jennings’ weaknesses better than anyone and will be relying on them to create their attacks, it’s for this reason there should be a recall for Ritchie Sutton tomorrow.

By re-introducing the former Port Vale man into the fold from the bench, a straight swap for Jennings, you force Richard Money’s hand a little and make Cambridge adopt their approach to the game. Moving Lee Beevers back to the left hand side wont phase our back line as Beevers is certainly stable enough to play there, the same can be said for Sutton who will in turn ensure the right hand side is tight and secure, allowing Briscoe or Meikle, depending on who Cox starts with, more advanced freedom.

During the last meeting, Cambridge certainly enjoyed the better afternoon as they trounced a pathetic Stags 4-1, an afternoon which saw John Thompson and Exodus Geohaghon taken off injured and the back four with more holes than a broken siv. The system Stags employed that day, 4-3-3 was an embarrassment as new signing Solomon Tiawo failed to fit in with his new team mates in midfield – just over four months on however the system employed now is much more stable and works to full effect, even if numerous changes are made tomorrow to freshen things up, I think it still will as those players waiting to come in have been training in and playing in the same system in practise matches and have looked hungry when making the odd appearance from the bench.

If Stags can go into tomorrow’s match with refreshed focus and concentration then hopefully, another run of victories can begin – this season is wide open and certainly there for the taking, time now to go and do it I guess!

As mentioned above the last time these two locked horns was back in October, a match which was an embarrassment to watch as a Stags supporter. No heart, passion or desire was shown by the majority of the players which began in bizarre fashion as Paul Cox handed a month’s contract to trialist Solomon Tiawo purely so he could play a 4-3-3 system, a move which, by the full time whistle, backfired.

Stags were atrocious and slumped to a 4-1 thumping as Cambridge netted the opener through Michael Gash on nine minutes before doubling their advantage on 48 minutes again through Gash. It took under 60 seconds from the re-start for Cambridge to find a third as Tom Elliott fired home past Shane Redmond, who wrongfully took the flack. United added the clinical fourth on 58 minutes as Ross Jarvis thumped home a header before Jake Speight laid claim to Stags’ consolation on 71 minutes.

Stags and Cambridge have met a total of 31 times down the years, Stags recording 13 wins to 11, netting 51 goals but conceding one more (52). At the One Call Stadium, Stags haven’t beaten Cambridge since 2010 when Keigan Parker’s penalty following a James Jennings handball and subsequent red card, proved enough to take all the points. In the 14 meetings at the One Call, Mansfield are the significantly better side with eight wins to two and 22 goals to 15.

Stags boss Paul Cox again has no fresh worries ahead of tomorrow’s match, only Ross Dyer and Jake Speight will be missing as they continue their road to recovery.

Cambridge head coach Richard Money, whose first game at the U’s helm was against Stags earlier in the season, says he’ll have to tinker with his selection tomorrow. The former Luton boss is without the services of Tom Elliott, Harrison Dunk and Curtis Haynes-Brown. 

Unable to make it to the match tomorrow? Then join myself and guest Stephen Thrikill for regular updates throughout the afternoon, with build up starting at 2pm via our MM-LIVE page and 106.9FM.

Join in the debate too via text and twitter, do the Stags have enough quality and desire about them to mount a title charge or should the focus be on the play-offs. Send your thoughts via twitter @mtfcmatters or text 07804 15 66 37

The views expressed in this blog are those of the writer and not those of Mansfield Matters or its related organisations – To submit a blog email mftcmatters@gmail.com  

Craig Priest writes...

Fixture: Newport County Vs Mansfield Town
Competition: Blue Square Bet Premier – Game #34
Venue: Rodney Parade
Date & Time: Tuesday 12th February 2013 – 7.45pm
Match Referee: Charles Brakespear (Surrey)
Attendance: 1,902 (90)

Winning runs can’t last forever, it’s impossible; at some point you’re bound to get stuck in the mud, that’s exactly what happened to Stags last night in Newport. The writing was probably on the wall from the off in fairness as they say pride, such as our 8-1 slaughtering over Barrow, comes before a fall.

Add into the mixing bowl the fact you had the two best attacking teams in the division going toe to toe, and the fact that Stags have never beaten Newport County on Newport soil in the conference – you could probably see the eventual outcome from the off.

Not for a second am I going to blast Mansfield’s performance last night, it was a case of it wasn’t to be – the pitch certainly didn’t suit Stags’ 4-2-3-1 system in my opinion, and whilst you can say “it’s the same for both teams” – it wasn’t as Newport knew the state of the pitch following their 2-2 draw with Tamworth at the weekend and adapted accordingly. Is their blame to be laid? No, football throws up these dilemmas at times, do you stick with the same system which has suited Stags so well on the road and with the same side to have trounced Barrow and Dartford in recent matches or do you risk rumbling the pack to suit a playing surface – it’s a catch twenty-two situation really.

Newport, in my opinion, are one of the best attacking sides and most organised units I’ve seen this season and deserve the credit for taking all three points, the fact that Newport journalists were saying the same about us last night not only highlights what a close run thing it was in the end, but is enough to accept the outcome and re-focus on the Cambridge game on Saturday.  

Naturally nobody likes losing, the drive home always seems seven hours longer after defeat, however in the grander scale of things I think Paul Cox will have learnt a few more things about his side last night and can act accordingly. Stats show that Newport had possession for the majority of the match, but what they don’t show is how well Stags defended, apart from the defending for the second goal that is! Yes there were a few times where players were caught out and dragged out of position, but general players got good blocks in and put their body on the line for the cause, none more so in my opinion than Luke Jones who was the pick of the bunch last night.

Despite the result Stags remain in 6th place, three points off the play-offs, eleven from top spot, with games in hand over all above them and a few of those teams above still to play –Forest Green away, Grimsby home and Wrexham home and away, so the seasons’ far from open and still remarkably wide open as results from last night show. 

Paul Cox unsurprisingly again stuck with the same line up and bench following the 8-1 thumping of Barrow.

Line Up [4-2-3-1]: Alan Marriott, Lee Beevers, Luke Jones, John Demsper, James Jennings, Adam Murray (C), Anthony Howell, Louis Briscoe, Lee Stevenson, Junior Daniel, Matt Green
Substitutes: Ritchie Sutton, Lindon Meikle, Nick Wright, Chris Clements, Matt Rhead.

It was certainly one of the toughest first halves Stags have endured in recent games, one which offered few chances in front of the Newport goal for Paul Cox’s side. Newport began brightly and on seven minutes pumped a deep free kick into the Mansfield box, Christian Jolley’s eventual goal-bound effort smashed clear by Lee Beevers. Three minutes later it was John Dempster’s turn to slam clear as Jolley put in a testing cross following David Pipes reverse pass to find space ahead of James Jennings.

The Stags left back was then involved at the other end on 13 minutes as he swung in a corner, County keeper Lenny Pidgeley  collecting with ease and booting forward to start another spell of Newport pressure, Junior Daniel on hand to mop up as the fluid moving Micheal Flynn advanced at a canter.

Two minutes later Flynn was again involved in a fluent Newport attack as he combined with Pipe and Crow, New signing Scott Donnelly came close to completing the move and netting his second goal in as many games, however he blazed over the top of Marriott’s bar from the edge of the box.

The hosts continued to pressure and came close through an Andy Sandell free kick on 18 minutes when Jennings felled Crow on the edge of the box, seconds later defender Ismail Yakubu fired wide through the crowd following a deep assist from centre half partner Tony James.

Stags saw a rare sight of goal on 21minutes with two quick corners with Stevenson and Jones both pressure, however it was at the other end where Jones would be key as seven minutes later, he headed a goal bound shot from Jolley off the line, the seconds after Marriott had denied Donnelly with a strong low save.

With eleven to go before the break Newport were denied a penalty when Lee Beevers and Danny Crow came together strongly, the hosts failed to let the frustration grow as the pressured further and saw further efforts from Sandell, Pipe and Crow all go astray before the half time whistle.

HALF TIME: Newport 0-0 Stags

Stags began the second half in sharper fashion and enjoyed a series of corners and more fluent attacks; they saw their best chance saved on 57 minutes as Lee Stevenson’s glancing front post header from a Jennings corner was palmed away by Pidgeley.

Alan Marriott however was the busier keeper and saw Christian Jolley fire over the bar before saving two efforts in quick succession from the advancing Sandell on the hour mark. Six minutes later Marriott was picking the ball out of the back of the net as Sandell gave Newport the lead from the spot after Beevers was judged to have fouled Jolley, Sandell stroked into Marriott’s bottom left hand corner with the Stags keeper worryingly static as he made no attempt to dive.          

Newport 1-0 Stags

Four minutes later Matt Rhead replaced Louis Briscoe as Stags looked for a target man, the substitution failed to ruffle any feathers despite Rhead’s best efforts as Christian Jolley doubled the hosts lead on 77 minutes, capping a quick counter attack which saw the Stags defence nowhere to be seen and James Jennings easily beaten at left, with a low finish underneath Marriott.

Newport 2-0 Stags

Newport’s second goal pretty much sealed things and there was little fight back from Stags on the tough pitch and freezing cold night, they had Alan Marriott to thank in the games dying seconds as he saved low from County substitute Connor Washington.

FULL TIME: Newport 2-0 Stags

The views expressed in this blog are those of the writer and not those of Mansfield Matters or its related organisations, to submit a blog, email mtfcmatters@gmail.com